Method of and apparatus for forming fabric structures



A. MARTIN June 20, 1939.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING FABRIC STRUCTURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14, 1938 JNVENTOR.

rllllll I Illlll June 20, 1939. v A, MARTiN' 2,162,818

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING FABRIC STRUCTURES Filed May 14, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 20, 1939. ALMARTW 2,162,818

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING FABRIC STRUCTURES Filed May 14, 1938 4 SheeCs-Sheet 3 A. MARTIN 2,162,818

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR 'FORMING ,FABRIC STRUCTURES June 20, 1939.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May' 14, 1938 INVENTDR. v

lllllrll II III Patented June 20, 1939 UNiTED STATES PATENT oFFicE IVIETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORM- ING FABRIC STRUCTURES 16 Claims.

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for making plaster-ground fabric structures which comprise plaster-reinforcing mesh, to the rear side of which is secured a backing sheet or form sheet, the fabric structure being placed upon studding or other framework with the mesh outwardly and plaster or cement then applied against the same in the forming of walls, floors, ceilings, etc.

The invention is particularly useful in the making of fabric having rib-like reinforcing elements which not only stiffen the fabric to facilitate the installation thereof against studding and the like and to resist trowel pressure during application of the plaster or concrete, but also provides for the forming of thickened or ribbed areas of plaster with intermediate areas of thinner section, so that a stucco body of sufficient strength can be had with a minimum amount of plastic material.

One object of my invention is to provide means for welding stiffening ribs to a continuouslymoving strip of mesh and simultaneously applying and connecting a backing sheet thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for continuously applying strand-like tie members to a mesh and a paper backing therefor and to simultaneously make stapled connection of said tie members to the sheet and to the mesh, whereby the parts are held in unitary relation.

Some of the forms for practicing my invention are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a machine for assembling the fabric elements, taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged View taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an enlarged View taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 1; Fig '7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modified form of machine, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged View taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. '7.

In Fig. 1, at station A metal ribbons are bent to V form or approximately channel form, as may be desired; at station E the ribs are brought into engagement with the mesh and welded thereto; at station C the paper backing is snugly applied against the underside of the ribs and the mesh; at station Dthe tie strips are pushed through the paper and the tangs or prongs thereof partially bent around certain of the mesh members, and at E the bending or clamping of the tangs is completed.

The completed structure comprises a wire mesh 8 which consists of longitudinal wires 9 to which are welded cross wires or stay wires Ill.

Stifiening bars ll of V form in cross section are welded to the mesh; a paper backing 5 sheet I2 is applied against the rear sides of the V bars and the mesh, and the paper is held in position against the wire mesh by tie strips l3 provided with tangs M that are punched through the paper and then bent backwardly over cer- 10 tain of the cross wires ID to hold the parts in assembled or unitary relation.

The stiffening or rib members II are each formed from ribbon-like strips of metal drawn from suitable reels not shown, the bending from 15 fiat to V form being eifected bypairs of rollers I 6 and Il, the rollers I! being provided with peripheral grooves of. V form and their respective cooperating rollers 16 having peripheral ribs of V form The ribs are only partially bent at 20 this point. Additional forming rolls l8 and I9 are provided, which respectively have V ribs and grooves to give the strips their final contour. With light metal one pair of V forming rolls will be sufiicient for each strip. The rollers I6, ll, 25 I8 and [9 are secured to shafts which are journalled in the framework of the machine. The shafts for the rollers l6 and I8 are supported in vertically adjustable or movable bearings 2i and 22 respectively, which are held'down to a desired point or with a desired degree of pressure by screws 23 and 24. The shafts for the rollers I3 and I9 carry interm'eshing gears 25 and 26, the shaft on which the gear 26 is mounted having a bevel gear wheel 21 that is driven from a bevel gear wheel 28 whose shaft 29 is driven through bevel gearing 30 from a shaft 3|. The shaft 3! is driven through bevel gearing 32 from a shaft 33 which is driven bybevel gearing 34 from a shaft 35. The shaft 35 carries a sprocket wheel 36 that is driven by a chain 31 from a sprocket wheel 38 that is in turn driven from a speed reducing mechanism 39 that has driven connection with a motor40. Ordinarily the bars II will be continuously advanced and will be brought into engagement with the underside of the wire mesh 8, which mesh is drawn from a. reel or other suitable source of supply past guide rollers 42; The mesh and the ribs are drawn between welding electrodes at the station B, at

which point they are welded together.

An upper electrode 43 has peripherally extending grooves 44 for receiving the longitudinal wires 9, so that the face of the electrode can have direct engagement with the cross wires Ill. The

electrode roll 43 is mounted on a shaft 45 whose ends are journalled in the frame of the machine, the shaft being insulated from the electrode by an insulating sleeve 46. A lower eleotrode 41 is provided for each stifiening bar ll. These electrodes are arranged in pairs as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, and are supported upon a shaft 48, insulation 49 being provided between the electrodes and said shaft. The shaft 48 is in turn supported in rearwardly-extending arms 58 of a cradle 5! whose forward portion is supported upon a shaft 52 for vertical oscillation, the shaft 52 being carried by the framework of the machine. Springs 53 bearing against the rear end of the cradle force the same upwardly tomaintain snug engagement between the lower electrode, thework and the upper electrode.

Each pair of rolls 4'! is connected by a conductor sleeve portion 54, against which brushes 55 and 56 engage. The brushes are carried by terminal strips 5'! and 58 respectively, the strip 51 being connected to one end of the secondary winding 59 of a transformer 68, and the conductor 58 being connected to the other side of said winding. It will be seen that upon completion of a circuit in the secondary winding of the transformer, current will flow through the brush 55 and the pair of roller electrodes 41 associated therewith. From these electrodes the current will flow through the V-bars H and the stay wires l0, thence through the upper electrode 43, then through said cross wires l8 and the adjacent pair of V-bars II to the other adjacent pair of electrodes 41 and their brush 56.

Welding current is intermittently supplied to the primary winding of the transformer 60, at the instant that a stay wire is passing between the upper and lower electrodes. As shown in Fig. 3, one transformer is employed for making four welds simultaneously. In fabric requiring 8 welds, two transformers and additional electrodes would be employed. The making and breaking of the welding circuit of each transformer is effected by a timer 6! which is of any conventional form, the duration of current fiow being effected in a well-known manner through adjustments of the timer, and the timer of course being so set that there will be an impulse of welding current at the instant a cross wire l9 comes into welding position. The timer shaft has a gear wheel 62 which is driven from a gear wheel 63 mounted upon the shaft 3|.

It will be understood that various other com mercially known forms of welding mechanism (such as shown in Patent 1,175,516 to French) may be employed for connecting the ribs to the mesh, and that ribs of other forms than the bars I I may be employed.

The paper backing I2 is drawn from a supply roll, not shown, by a pair of pinch rolls 64 whose shafts have intermeshing gears, the one shaft being driven through bevel gearing 65, from the shaft 3|. The paper passes around tensioning rolls 6B and over a roll 81 which, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, has annular depressions or grooves formed therein at 68. The depressions are in alinement with the V-bars H, and the intermediate raised portions 89 of this roller serve to press the paper firmly against the mesh at points between the V-b-ars, so that snug engagement of the paper against the rear sides of the V-bars and the mesh is effected. A back up roll 69a is provided above the roll 61. The

rollers 61 and 69a may be idly journalled in the machine and need not be positively driven.

The tang strip [3 is preliminarily slit to form tongues that are bent perpendicularly to the strip to form the tangs I 4. The slitted strip is drawn from a supply roll 18 past friction shoes ll that serve as tensioning elements. Thence it passes around a spool 12 and is thereby abruptly bent, whereby the tang elements M will be pro jected out of the plane of the strip. The strips l3 are further drawn over grooved spools or guiding sheaves 13 that are mounted upon a shaft 14, and thence along a table or guide bars 15. As the strips enter upon the table 15, their tangs are pushed through the paper and caused to project above the plane of the mesh. Further advancing movement carries the tangs into the paths of a series of toothed discs or wheels 76 that are secured to a shaft 11 which is driven preferably at a rapid rate from a motor 18, in a clockwise direction. The wheels 16 bend the upper ends of the tangs l4 backwardly across stay wires ID. The partially bent tangs then pass beneath notched wheels or discs 88. The recesses or notches are of such shape that the extremities of the tangs are bent downwardly into closely embracing or clenching engagement with the stay wires l8. Additional rollers 81 are provided for supporting the fabric structure against downward deflection under pressure of the clenching wheels 88. The clenching wheels 88 are secured to a shaft 82 that is journalled in the framework of the machine. The shaft 82 carries a gear wheel 83 which meshes with a gear 84, the gear 84 being on a stub shaft 85. The gear 84 meshes with a pinion 86 which is mounted on the shaft 35.

A strip I3 is applied in each longitudinal space between the V-ribs, and also between the marginal V-ribs and the margin of the fabric, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6 so as to hold the paper along the edges of the fabric snugly against the mesh.

Sprocket-like driving wheels 81 are secured to the shaft 82 and engage the cross wires [8 to exert advancing pull on the fabric. In order to maintain proper continuous advancing force upon the fabric without employing driving sprockets of excessively large diameter, I provide a second series of fabric-advancing sprockets 88 that are secured to a shaft 89 which carries a gear 90 meshing with the gear wheel 84. The driving members 88 have their teeth circumferentially offset with respect to the teeth of the sprockets 81, so that when the fabric is being drawn by one series of sprocket wheels, the other series is moving into driving engagement with cross wires and will have full driving engagement therewith at the time the first-mentioned series are passing out of engagement with other cross wires.

Referring now to Figs. '7 and 8, the rolls 94 and 95 correspond to the rolls 6'! and 69 of Figs. 1 and 4, the parts in the machine in advance of such rolls being the same as in Fig. 1. These Figs. '7 and 8 show a modification of mechanism for applying tie elements to hold the paper l2 against the V-bars H and the mesh 8. The tie elements comprise a series of wires 98 which are applied to the rear sides of the sheets along lines between the V-bars, as in the case of the strips l3.

The fabric structure is drawn through the machine by toothed wheels 91 and 98 which correspond to the toothed rolls or sprockets B1 and 88. The toothed wheels 91 and 98 are driven from a shaft 99, pinionllll], gear wheel IUI, gear wheels member I135.

96, all of the stapling devices being of the same construction and hence only one needs be described. Each stapler comprises a case 104, and these casings-are secured to a cross bar-or frame Each case 104 is of tubular form and supports a hammer I06 for sliding movement therein, the hammer being normally urged upwardly by a power spring 101, such spring being adjustable by a screw N18. The hammer has wings :I 09 extending through slots in the side walls of the casing, one wing being in position to be engaged by a cam H secured to the shaft 99. It will be understood that as the cam rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, the hammer I06 will be pushed downwardly to place the spring I01 under compression, and that when the cam shoulders HI pass out of engagement with the wing I09 the power spring will snap the hammer upwardly with great force to drive the staple and effect clenching of the same. A cushioning spring H2 is .provided to effect slight retractive movement of the plunger out of frictional engagement with the fabric, so that there will be no appreciable resistance offered by the hammer to continuous advancing movement of the fabric. The staples are of course pushed through the paper and themesh, and the points thereof are forced into grooves I I3 that are formed in an anvil bar H4 that extends transversely of the machine. The grooves are curved in such manner that the points of the staples will be bent around the strand wires .9, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8.

The staples H5 are drawn beneath a shear bar .I Hi, a staple .being advanced into driving position upon each retraction of the hammer. As shown in the drawings, the staples are formed in a continuous strip and the foremost staple is sheared from the strip during each driving stroke of the hammer I06. Advancing movement of the strip is effected by a pawl Ill which is pivotally mounted on a slide block H8 which is biased toward the hammer by a spring H9. When the hammer is in its lowermost position, the spring H9 will push the slide block and its pawl forwardly to move a staple into the position to be sheared and driven by the hammer. During upward movement of the hammer its camming surface I20 will push the slide rearwardly against the spring H9, the staple strip being held against being dragged rearwardly by the feed pawl by spring fingers or pawls l2l that engage the upstanding tangs of the staples.

The machines can be employed for making plain (unribbed) fabric simply by omitting to feed the strips to form the V-bars, and preferably also disconnecting the welding apparatus.

The ribbed fabric will be cut into desired lengths by suitable well-known forms of cutters, and the unribbed fabric will either be cut into lengths or be wound upon suitable reels.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of making a base for plastic material, which comprises imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh having rib elements disposed against one face thereof and to a backing sheet disposed against the exposed sides of the rib elements, simultaneously applying tie strips to the exposed side of the sheet along lines parallel to and between the rib elements, and connecting said strips to the mesh.

2. The method of making a base for plastic material, which comprises imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh having rib elements disposed against one face thereof and parallel to the path of travel, and to a backing sheet disposed against the exposed sides of the rib elements, simultaneously applying tie strips to the exposed side of the sheet along lines parallel "to and between the rib elements, and connecting said .strips to the mesh.

3. The combination with means for imparting advancing movement to a mesh having ribs projecting from one face thereof and extending longitudinally thereof and to a backing sheet disposed against the .ribs, of means for deflecting the sheet toward the mesh at points between the ribs, means for continuously applying tie strips to the exposed face of the sheet, along lines parallel to and between the ribs, and means for connecting said strips to the mesh.

4. The combination with means for imparting advancing movement to a mesh having ribs extending longitudinally thereof and to a backing sheet disposed against the ribs, of means for continuously applying tie stripsto the exposed face of the sheet, along lines parallel to and between the ribs, means for connecting said strips to the mesh, "and means for effecting stapled connection of said strips to the mesh through the sheet.

5. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for simultaneously welding rib elements to said mesh, and means operable during said advancing movement for applying a backing sheet to the exposed sides of the rib elements and connecting it to said mesh.

6. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for simultaneously welding rib elements to said mesh, and means operable during said advancing movement for connecting a backing sheet to said mesh along lines parallel to and between the said rib elements and against the exposed sides of the rib elements.

'7. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for simultaneously welding rib elements to said mesh, means for applyng a backing sheet to the exposed sides of the ribs, and means for app-lying a tie strip against the exposed side of the backing sheet and connecting it to the mesh.

8. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for simultaneously welding rib elements to said mesh, means for applying a backing sheet to the exposed sides of the ribs, and means for applying a tie strip against the exposed side of the backing sheet and connecting it to the mesh, along lines parallel to the rib elements.

9. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for advancing metallic strips, means for bending said strips to form rib elements and directing them into engagement with one face of the mesh, means for applying a backing sheet to the exposed sides of the rib elements, and means for connecting the backing sheet to the mesh along lines between the rib elements. 7

10. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for advancing metallic strips, means for bending said strips to form rib elements and directing them into engagement with one face of the mesh, means for applying a backing sheet to the exposed sides of the rib elements, means for connecting the backing sheet to the mesh along lines between the rib elements, means for applying tie elements to the exposed face of the sheet, along lines parallel to the path of travel, and means for connecting said strips to the mesh, through the sheet.

11. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comp-rising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for advancing metallic strips, means for bending said strips about their longitudinal axes to form rib elements and directing them into engagement with one face of the mesh, means for applying a backing sheet to the exposed sides of the rib elements, means for connecting the backing sheet to the mesh along lines between the rib elements, means for applying tang strips to the exposed face of the sheet, along lines parallel to the path of movement, and means for projecting the tangs of the strips through the paper and connecting them to the mesh.

12. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to reinforcement mesh, means for advancing metallic strips, means for bending said strips to form rib elements and directing them into engagement with one face of the mesh, means for applying a backing sheet to the exposed sides of the rib elements, means for connecting the backing sheet to the mesh along lines between the rib elements, means for applying tie Wires to the exposed face of the sheet, along lines parallel to the path of movement, and means for makng staple connections between the tie wires and the mesh.

13. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to a reinforcement mesh and a backing sheet therefor, and for simultaneously advancing a tie member which extends parallel to the path of said advancing movement, and

means for driving staples into position to connect the mesh, the backing sheet and the tie member in unitary relation during said advancing movement.

14. Apparatus for making a base for plastic material comprising means for imparting advancing movement to a reinforcement mesh and a backing sheet therefor, and simultaneously advancing a tie member which extends parallel to the path of said advancing movement, means for driving staples into position to connect the mesh, the backing sheet and the tie member in unitary relation during said advancing movement, a hammer, means for feeding staples in front of the hammer in position to be driven into clenching engagement with the tie element, the sheet and the mesh, a power spring for driving the hammer, means for periodically tensioning said spring, and a yieldable cushioning element positioned to effect slight retractive movement of the hammer upon completion of a driving stroke.

15. The method of making a base for plastic material which comprises bending metallic strips to form rib elements and advancing them along a given path of travel, bringing reinforcing mesh into engagement with said rib elements and welding the mesh to the rib elements during traveling movement thereof, bringing a backing sheet into engagement with the exposed sides of the rib elements and the mesh, applying tie strips to the exposed side of the sheet along lines parallel to and between the rib elements, and connecting said tie strips to the mesh.

16. Apparatus for connecting paper backing to reinforcement mesh, comprising means for advancing the sheet and the mesh, means for simultaneously advancing a tanged tie strip through a path angular relative to the plane of the sheet, means for directing the tanged strip into a path parallel to the path of the sheet and thereby causing the tangs to be pushed through the sheet and the mesh, and means for bending the ends of the tangs toward the plane of the sheet.

ARCHWORTH MARTIN. 

